Celtic Dreams: My Own Fairy Tale
by Pandora North Star
Summary: The LA Gang and The Scooby gang go to Ireland to help Druids close the door to the Fairy World. Buffy and Angel find that they are the key and they have more of a destiny than thought possible. B/A W/O X/A C/D (Finished!) Season 4/1
1. Default Chapter

Celtic Dreams: My Own Fairy Tale  
By PNS*  
Summary: The LA Gang and the sunnydale Gang meet up in Ireland to stop The Fairy World from leaking into our own. Angel and Buffy don't know it but they are the key to stopping it. W/O, C/D and A/B pairings. Season 4ish.   
Prologue  
  
The years had passed. Some long, some short. Through them Cordelia had stuck By Angel's side. The unlikely duo had battled many a hell demon and had stopped a few apocalypses. Wesley was there for some of it. But towards the end he had been called back to England by the Watcher's council. So it was back to the 2.   
Angel had seen Her a few times over the years. His Buffy. Each time he felt his love grow as she grew into one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Sometimes there was with a boy sometimes not. But he knew she still loved him as much as ever. That kept him alive. And in selfish moments he wondered if his love for her kept her alive because she was the longest living slayer ever.   
Our story starts at Angel Investigations on a rather dull day. The old faded building that housed the business was a 1950's hotel. It had survived longer than the first Angel Investigations building. Cordelia Chase was sitting comfortably in a plush chair behind a desk while Angel paced near her avoiding a tiny path of light what came in through a high window.   
"I still think you should take a vacation Angel. Oz invited you to come visit him in Tibet." Oz being a werewolf friend that they knew from the past who had on occasion visited LA.   
"No. I feel something. Something's coming."   
"You've been saying that for the last week." Cordelia rolled her eyes and tapped a few keys on her computer.   
"I don't get this feeling very often." Angel persisted. Then Cordelia yelped and clawed at her head. Angel rushed around the desk to help her as she wobbled. After a moment she calmed down.  
"Ireland." she moaned before going limp in his arms. He lifted her onto the desk and went to the refrigerator for an ice pack. A few minutes later she awoke. "Angel we have to go to Ireland."  
"Why?" He was surprised. Her usual visions were of LA and things he could do there. Never had he had one for another country.   
"The Druids need your help. The gateway to the fairy world has been opened. All the creatures are spilling out." she whispered painfully. He looked at her somewhat shocked.  
"Oh wow." Angel wondered for a moment if Buffy would be called to help. "We're going to need to call the gatekeeper."  
"That little boy? What can he do to help us?"  
"He might be able to help me get to Ireland. I will probably need the ghost roads."  
"Then maybe we should call Oz?" Cordelia asked not fully understanding the disaster that could result from fairies, centaurs, griffins, dragons and elves running around.  
"Maybe." Angel gulped. It was one of those rare moments that he was afraid. Truly afraid.  



	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
After talking on the phone to the Gatekeeper in Boston, Angel was set for transportation. Cordelia was flying because only supernatural beings can travel the ghost roads. They had even managed to leave a message for Oz but it was unlikely he would get it considering the message taker couldn't speak English.   
The Druids lived somewhere in central Ireland Angel had figured out from some books on druids. He wasn't exactly sure why they needed him but the PTB were never wrong. He was going to meet Cordelia early the next morning at the airport which gave them enough time to get out of the rising suns way.   
He only carried a few possessions. A change of clothes, a credit card, some cash, a few weapons and an ugly looking necklace given to him by Willow many years ago. He was compelled to take it and on the roll that he was on he figured it couldn't hurt. Cordelia on the other hand had a very full suitcase.   
"I'll see you in Ireland. Get there safe." She hugged him goodbye as he prepared to leave through a portal created in the office by The Gatekeeper.   
"You too. Those planes have been going down a lot lately." He moved towards the portal and braced himself for the suffocating hopelessness that was exuded by the lost souls on the ghost roads.   
He entered the portal and it closed behind him. He could feel the empty grey close around him, knitting him into their timeless web. He began walking quickly with his destination clearly in his mind. That would make it easier.   
"Can I walk with you?" Angel's head jerked up and he saw the silhouette of Oz coming towards him through the shadows.   
"You got our message? "Angel asked doubtingly.   
"The Gatekeeper." Oz came into focus. "Kind of cryptic. He said something about fairies being freed and it not being his problem. More of a problem that needs a vampire's help?" Angel shrugged as he looked around. It was hard to figure out where the exit was in a place like the ghost roads.   
"Glad you could make it. I'm really not sure. Cordelia got a vague vision and- well I guess I can tell you." Angel grew quiet.  
"Yeah?" Oz prompted as he rubbed his arms, cold, from the damp air.  
"They used to tell us stories in Ireland. Of the fairies and of all the creatures that lived in their world. They have magic that the Gatekeeper would be awed at. You don't mess with these types of creatures and live. Unless you are very tricky or clever or very lucky."  
"Would these type of creatures include mermaids and stuff?"   
"I suppose. But the thing I'm worried about is dragons. I've heard stories of the mass destruction they cause."  
"Then again there are the stories of nice dragons."  
"Those aren't the real stories." Angel shook his head. "We are almost there."   
"Quick trip."  
"The time is off here." Angel wondered for a moment if any creatures still lingered from the time hell opened up to the ghost roads. The world had no idea how close they were to an apocalypse then. They were lucky, the ignorant ones. They saw the portal opening for them and glanced around, ready to fight off any ghosts that were desperate to escape.  
"That's weird." Angel muttered seeing none. It irked him that there were no ghosts around.  
"Ghosties? There's an opening?" Oz tried.   
"Let's get out of here." Angel leaned through the portal to make sure it way night. It was. He dropped down softly onto some green moss and then Oz dropped down next to him.  
"Where to?"  
"Ireland International airport." Angel murmured looking around. A heavy fog was creeping around him. He stood up and it came to his knees. He saw lights in the distance and started walking towards them. Oz pulled up beside him and they walked in silence. They came to a dirt road and walked along it. Angel looked up at the sky periodically. It stayed dark.   
Just as the sky was starting to lighten a horse drawn hay car pulled up to them. A man in robes was holding the reins. "We are so very glad you came." He said. They climbed into the cart with him.   
"We have to pick up my friend at the airport." Angel informed him. The robed man shook his head. "The one who has the visions." The man shook his head for a moment. Angel growled. Then he nodded.   
"Can I have a little more information?" Angel asked.  
"It is not safe here." The man quieted again. They entered a small village with a few cars.   
"Send him for her. The day is coming vampire. You must come with me." The man pointed to Oz.  
"I can't send him alone." Angel argued.   
"In the car is my brother." The man pointed to a broken down car. The man in the car waved a robed arm out the window. "He will take your friend. I promise they with both arrive back safe to you. Please you have to trust me."  
"Fine." Angel snapped. Oz was lead over to the car and the man came back. Angel got back onto the cart and they drove back along the bumpy dirt road. 'He could attack me at any moment and I wouldn't know it." Angel thought to himself as he glanced at the man.   
"Where are we going?" Angel inquired at last. He figured he deserved at least that knowledge.   
"A castle. A secluded one. It isn't the biggest castle you've seen no doubt but it is home none the less." The druid said.   
"So what did you need me for?" Angel asked. That was what he really wanted to know. How he fit into everything.   
"Dragons and griffins. Our magic is not strong enough to bind them. You are the greatest warrior on our side."   
"Thanks for the compliment."  
"No compliment. Just the truth. We are nearly there." Angel looked around. Reds and violets were peeking over the horizon. They were cutting it close.  
"Wouldn't the Slayer be of help?"  
"WE do not speak for her. The PTB could send her to our aid. We were not instructed to bring her." that made the kind of sense that didn't to Angel so he didn't respond.   
"Home." The druid said. Angel looked up at the castle. It stood cold and dark. It looked old. It reminded him of King Arthur's castle in England. He had actually seen it. Before he entered he ran his hand down the weather worn stone. A shiver ran down his spine.   
"I've been here before." Angel gasped.   
"Have you?" The druid faintly smiled.   
"In another life." Angel whispered.  
"It is a very small world vampire." They entered the castle. Inside it was dim and it suited Angel. He felt at home. From dark doorways druids flowed around him silently.   
"Come with us." They beckoned. He followed them into a large room which reeked of magic. Angel wasn't that surprised he could feel it.  
"Bring the mirror." Someone called. A large full length mirror was brought before Angel. "Show us the doorway to the Fairy Dimension." the druid said again. The mirror's surface rippled and then an image came into view. Angel watched as from what looked like a hole in a large tree came a few small fairies. They fluttered forward a few inches but then one and then another was pulled back into the hole. One managed to fly off.   
"We can only bind them so much." Angel's traveling companion said. "We have trapped many who have escaped because the hole is close by but we can't get the big creatures. Already there is 2 dragons and a centaur running loose."  
"I see your problem." Angel noticed something in the mirror and leaned closer. The necklace from Willow slipped out from under his shirt and hung forward. A murmur went up in the crowd. He quickly stood up straight.  
"From whom did you get that talisman?" someone asked.  
"A friend." Angel wasn't sure if it was good or bad he had the ugly thing on.  
"Your friend knows great protection spells." Angel slightly recalled the time Willow had made him wear it.   
"Now that you mention it..." Angel started. "My friend created it when we were attacked by some really big nasties."  
"May we study it?" Angle slipped off the necklace. "Yes. It is something I have never seen. We need this friend, vampire."  
"I don't know if that is a good idea."  
"She could help us save the world from the fairy realm."   
"Fine. Her name is Willow Rosenberg. She lives in Sunnydale California in the town over the hellmouth. She is friends with the Slayer."  
"The Slayer. The legendary one. Is it meant to be?" Angel's companion asked the group. Someone ran from the room and returned a moment later with a book. It didn't look very old which Angel wasn't used to. Didn't they usually consult old books? Ones about foreseen prophecies and the like?   
"Find the one he called Willow." The book druid said.   
"Honey I'm home." Angel turned and exuded a sigh of relief. Oz and Cordelia were being ushered in, and they were in one piece. But there was the problem of Oz seeing Willow again.  
"This place could use my decorating expertise. It isn't very people friendly" Cordelia said to Oz.  
"Hey Angel. "Oz nodded to him. Angel could see he was strained from the car ride with Cordelia. She would always be Cordelia. That made Angel smile.   
"It looks like they might be bringing Buffy and the old gang together for this job. "Angel informed them.  
"A couple of fairies and the whole world is doomed? "Cordelia said in disbelief.   
"You do not know much of the fairy realm." A druid said sadly. "You must be informed." A book was passed to him and he handed it to her. "Read this. You will be better prepared for the battle."   
"You must be tired. We shall get you rooms for the day. Tonight vampire we need you to fight."  
"Of course." Angel agreed. The trio was lead deep into the castle. Angel and Oz were dropped off in a spacious room with no windows. Cordelia was lead to an outer room where she would enjoy the sun.   
Finally when they were alone Angel and Oz could talk. "Are you up to seeing Willow?"  
"I'm not really sure. I suppose so. We left it on weird terms. Yeah I think I'd like to see her." Oz decided pulling off his boots. "The monks told me to embrace my past."   
"Good advice. Not for me though." Angel mused. "Let's get some sleep." 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
"I don't know about this Giles. I don't know if I am up to seeing Angel. And for a prolonged period of time?" Buffy paced back and forth down the airport gate.  
"You have no choice now Buffy. We are on our way."  
"I still don't see why some harmless fairies are such a big deal." Xander yawned.   
"You've never seen a fairy or other mystical creature have you Xander?" Anya shook her head.   
"Only when I'm really drunk."   
"Well with one flick of their finger you could cease to exist or be stuck dancing the Macarena for the rest of your life. It's not like a vampire which has to physically hurt you. And the fairies do it for fun. Don't get me started on elves."   
"I think it would be wise of you to do what she says." Giles added.   
"I don't know if I can see Oz." Willow whispered to Buffy. "So much has changed. After all the stuff with Tara. I was going through a period of change. I didn't know what I was feeling about anything at that time. I've settled down now. Will he be able to accept the fact that I'm not ya know anymore and that I've moved on?" She moaned.  
"Don't worry about it now Will. Just relax ok. Oz is cool. I'm sure he'll understand." Buffy said calmly. She thought back to when Angel met Riley her new boyfriend back when. He was long gone though. After the Initiative had broken up he became immersed in the FBI. She had never heard from him again. "Do you think Spike is really gonna show up? The Gatekeeper said he could open a portal for him if he felt like helping but I doubt that scum bag's heart would be into it." Spike was still kicking around. Despite many murder attempts on him. He wasn't the nicest thing but he came through in times of crisis.   
"So Giles after you got the call you decided to jump in even through you had no clue if these people were good or bad?"   
"Well I did agree rather quickly. But they informed me of a talisman that Angel had, that only a friend of his would know of, I knew they were on our side. Besides I called the Gatekeeper and they checked out. He told me that Angel had talked to him earlier. And he also said that he would help if he could but it wasn't part of his responsibility. These Druids are part of a sacred Sect that are born to live their lives protecting the doorway between the Fairy Realm and ours. Rather like Buffy and the Hellmouth."  
"Poor saps. Sacred Duty sucks." Buffy put in.   
"It is a noble honor Buffy." Giles reminded her. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Willow.  
"I think I've heard of these guys before." Anya said. "I'm surprised they haven't been able to control the doorway. Something must have went very wrong in the Fairy land, most likely some big bad who has to much power for his own good and wants to take over all worlds. That is so cliche."   
"Cliche? Aren't you focusing on the small? Impending doom is the bigger issue. I don't want to die by the hands of a rogue elf. I mean how would that look? Something the size of an oompah-loompah beating me up with one hand behind his back. "Xander fretted.   
"Actually elves aren't even that tall. I saw one once. They are about 2 and a half feet high at the most." Any a put in.  
"Like lawn gnomes?" Willow spoke up. She had been half listening to the unusual conversation.   
"Yes like lawn gnomes." Anya agreed sarcastically. Willow huffed at her but couldn't respond. She was still, as always she had been, to nice.  
"Oh look. We're boarding." Buffy jumped up and raced for the gateway. 'I so have to get away from that conversation.' 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
"You are up vampire?" Angel glanced up at the druid. "Come then. You shall feed." Angel followed the man out leaving Oz sleeping in the bed next to him.   
"What kind of blood do you require?"  
"Don't bother for anything big. I can survive on rat blood if I need to."  
"You shall not need too. We have cow's blood?"  
"That's fine." Angel ducked under a small doorway and entered a small room off of the kitchen. He sat down in a small wooden chair and waited.  
"I hope you do not mind this room." the druid gestured. "But I am sure you understand the dining hall is no place for blood." Angel did understand. It could get messy and the Druid didn't want a nice room spattered with blood, He tended to get a little bit frenzied when eating. The blood was brought out to him in a silver goblet. He was embarrassed and drank it down quickly.  
"Now where are those dragons?"  
"Vampire you shall need armor." The druid shook his head. "The fire will surely burn you if you are not careful. And you need the sword of justice. Dragon scales are some of the hardest to penetrate."  
"Oh." Angel said. 'What am I getting into?' he asked himself. The druids helped him find armor in one of the storage rooms. They found him the sword of justice and a decent looking shield.   
"Would you like a steed?" Angel thought for a moment. Would a horse prove to much trouble? Or would it help him.   
"I think I shall bring a horse. If it gets dangerous then I will send him back." That made Angel feel better. After he got on all his ridiculous armor he was lead one to the stables.   
"You shall have this horse. He is Angel also." The druid let out a black horse and it walked over to Angel. Angel put out his hand. The horse sniffed him cautiously but didn't run away.   
"Come on fella. We have a dragon to kill." Angle got on top of the horse, not to gracefully and they began to trot out to the open countryside. It was rather easy to find the first dragon considering the large areas of charred woodland were in plain view. Angel just followed it along. The moon was nice and round. Not a cloud in the sky. Those were the nights he loved as a vampire. Then he heard screaming off in the distance. He set the horse off at a fast pace and struggled to hold on.   
Angel could see over the tree line, orange flames. He gulped as a green head reared up and spewed flames into the sky. "It's only a very large demon." He told himself charging at it. Finally the horse bucked him off.   
"Wait here Angel." Angel tied Angel to a tree and headed forward. He could see the moonlight reflecting off the dragon's smooth scales. A scared family was huddled by the remains of their thatched cabin. It was hard for Angel to believe that after all the years he had been gone not that much had changed in Ireland.   
"Run!" He shouted. The dragon turned to him it's coal black eyes angry. It hissed and dove at him. Angel rolled out of the way. "Pick on someone your match why don't Ya!" Angel threatened. The dragon unfurled his wings and spit flames at Angel. He dove behind a tree which instantly became ash. He could feel the hotness all around him. He thought he would melt. The flames licked his arms which stuck out. He wondered if he would be cooked inside the suit. Dumb 15th century technology.   
"That all you got?" Angel yelled back reappearing. He looked the dragon over, judging for a weak spot. The thing was maybe 25 feet tall and about 50 feet from nose to tail. The dragon reared again and Angel looked up. Under the jaw there was no scales. It was skin kind of like a snake's. That's where he would aim. He darted out into the dragons' presence again. He counted on the dragon going at him. "Look at me. A nice dessert to the people you already ate right?" the dragon cocked his head and leaned down. He opened his jaw which reeked of burnt flesh. The large yellow teeth gleamed at Angel. He snapped at Angel who dodged and rolled. As the dragon pulled away Angel plunged his sword into the throat. The dragon screeched in pain and tried to toss him and the sword. Angel hung on tight.   
"You can't kill people. Time to go back to fairy land dragon!" Angel used the swinging motion as leverage. He ripped the sword downward exposing the dragons' throat. The skin peeled back. The dragon managed to toss Angel aside as it grabbed at its throat. "That's right. Don't mess with me." Angel said more confidently. He stood up and winced. The fall had hurt. A lot. The dragon flailed around for a few minutes until the blood loss began to take its toll. It sunk to the ground and in a poof of glittery dust disappeared. Almost like staking a vampire.   
Angel brushed himself off and headed back into the charred forest for his horse. There was still another dragon loose and no doubt other creatures, like that centaur.  



	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
The Scooby gang arrived in Ireland pretty much in one piece. A man in robes met them at the airport and drove them to a castle far from civilization and creature comforts. It was dusk when they finally arrived at the castle.  
"You will be informed of the situation and then lead to your rooms. You may go to bed or you may help. Tomorrow your battle truly begins". Like when Angel arrived the druids gathered around the Scooby gang.  
"Which is the one you call Willow?" Shy willow raised her hand. "Will you please come with us. You are a great sorceress. We would like your help with some protection spells."   
"I'm not that good." Willow blushed in the dim light.   
"Yes indeed you are. Will you please come?" She nodded and a few of the older druids led her to another room.   
"Mr Giles I presume?" A druid came up to Giles. "We could use your help in researching this problem. We still do not know why the gateway was opened and why we can not close it. You are very good at producing results on this type of problem. That is what the Gatekeeper said."  
"Certainly. Where is your library?" Giles left the room.   
"The Slayer?" A druid looked at Anya.  
"Me? Ha. I am an ex demon." They glanced at Buffy, embarrassed.  
"Yeah I'm the Slayer. What do you need me to kill?"  
"You are friends with the vampire?"   
"Angel?"   
"Yes he is out working. He will need your help dispatching dragons."  
"Dragons? Holy shit." Buffy murmured. "Got it."  
"He is out in the West Woods. We have kept track of him. We will give you a horse. It shall guide you there. Let us show you your room so you may change into your armor." Buffy followed the druids.  
"What about us?" Xander spoke up.   
"You'll do what we do I guess." Cordelia said. Xander and Anya spun around.   
"How ya been Cordy?"   
"Good." she smoothed her hair. "Oz is coming." Oz entered the room.   
"Hey guys." He said faintly smiling.   
"How long have you been here?" Anya asked.  
"We got here this morning. We were asleep all day. I guess we are just waiting for instructions."   
"And instructions you shall have." The 4 turned to yet another druid in robes. "Since you are not supernatural and of use in battle..."  
"Hey I resent that. I'm good in battle!" Xander interrupted. The druid looked at him wearily.  
"Not against creatures that we deal with. Now we need you to collect herbs and run errands. That is the most help you can give us."   
"We can do that." Cordelia said before Xander could argue.   
"Good." the druid pulled map out from his robes. "Look at this map." He pointed to it. "Here is the castle. Here is the gateway. Do not stray near it. We need you to find us some a few plants. Follow the directions on the list and bring them back. Please be careful and do not dawdle. Should this gateway get any bigger, or more creatures come out the world would be in chaos. There is already reports of Dublin becoming invisible and London catching fire on the hour every hour." He handed them a list and a flashlight gravely and hurried away.   
"I can't believed we were banished to collect smelly plants." Xander complained.  
"You don't really want to go fighting dragons do you? That would be really funny. Like you could ever beat a dragon." Cordelia jabbed.  
"I don't think now is the time for teasing and jokes. "Oz reminded them. "I would rather just get this stuff and get back to the castle."  
"I think I can get most of them." Anya announced taking the list from Oz. "I collected a lot of these before for other demons. I once worked in a magic shop. That was like 200 years ago though."  
"Go right ahead." Cordelia muttered. They walked further until they came to a lush meadow. It was full of wild plants. Anya began working and only stopped to hand the others the plants.   
"Do you think Buffy has come upon Angel yet? I wonder what that reunion will be like." Cordelia wondered out loud.   
"Maybe the dragon will get dead boy and we won't have to find out." Xander said evilly.  
"Don't you say that about my boss." Cordelia hissed. "He's a great guy. He's kept me safe, clothed, and happy for 5 very long years."   
"So sorry." Xander said sarcastically.   
"Would you 2 quit it?" Oz snapped. They quieted immediately. You don't mess with Oz if he's annoyed. It takes a lot to blow his fuse.   
"So Oz you've kept in touch with Angel?"Xander asked pointedly.  
"Yes. I felt more welcome there than Sunnydale." Oz shifted the plants in his arms. He shrugged.   
"Willow's not a lesbian anymore." Xander said softly. "That was like a random confused cry for help." He explained further. Oz pretended he wasn't listening.   



	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5   
Angel and Angel trod through the forest in search of the second dragon. Angel wondered if more had escaped while he battled the other one. But he trusted the druids in that they were doing a job to seal up the gateway. By and by he became aware of a presence nearby. It didn't seem threateningly yet it held an air of caution. "Is anyone there?" Angel gazed into the trees around him. He hoped it wasn't some mystical creature like a wood nymph or tree elf. "Come out and face me." Angel growled vamping. The night had grown weary on him. The dragons were more than he bargained for.   
"Angel it's me." a voice said. Angel let face melt back to its original form. The woman he loved walked out of the trees on a beautiful cloud white horse.   
"Nice to see you Buffy. "He slowed down his horse. "The druids called you." She nodded.  
"So what about the dragons?" She looked kind of silly covered in armor. But he knew the fierce warrior that she was.   
"I got one already. I think we can handle the second one together. It was about 25 feet tall. You go for the throat. I'm pretty sure that's one of the only ways to kill a dragon.  
"Dragonsbane." Buffy interjected. "That's another. Though I'm not sure if it grows around here." She paused. "How have you been?"   
"Good. Same as ever. Battling the dark forces as best I can with the surprisingly faithful and loyal Cordelia at my side." Her horse pulled up closer as they walked along the path. Not very eager to get where they were headed.   
"That's good. I'm about the same. Slaying with the gang at my side. That never changed. Always the same deal. I'm starting to wonder if they are giving it all they've got...or maybe all this. "She gestured around her "Will finally be the end. I'm blabbering."   
"No. It's ok. I wasn't sure what it would mean. For us to see each other again. After all the time that had past." Angel assured her.  
"Shh." Buffy quieted him. "I hear something." She and her horse bolted off before he could stop her. Angel and Angel took off after her. She was a beautiful sight. Her hair streaming back all golden and the white horse galloping away. Night and day. Deja vu overtook him as a dark green head rose up and flames shot up at the dark sky. "Oh wow." Buffy breathed as Angel drew up next to her.   
"Get your sword and shield ready. Tie up your horse." Angel commanded. He tied Angel up and headed forward. Buffy followed suit. The dragon was in the midst of tall trees and wasn't much liking it. It was larger than the one Angel had fought earlier in the evening. "Distract it while I move in." Angel hissed darting forward.  
"Down here you big ugly!" Buffy waved her arms around until the glint of her armor caught its eye. It slithered its head down so it could burn her. But the trees were getting in its way.  
Angel moved closer cautiously. The tail was whipping around and it looked powerful. Like it could shatter a skull powerful. He readied his sword which was thoroughly stained with blood. Then the dragon turned and he was in direct view. He froze hoping it had reptilian senses and could only sense him if he moved. No such luck. The dragon prepared to burst flames. Angel ducked behind his shield and drew his head inside his armor and hoped for the best. He felt heat like never before and screamed. It was over as quickly as it started. He dared to glance up. Buffy stood triumphantly with a bloody sword. The dragon was flapping its wings and screaming a gargled death cry.   
The wings made a great sucking wind that blew up around them. Angel grabbed Buffy and shoved her down. They heard a great creaking as a tree was blown over. Angel heard the dragon give one last cry of agony and winced as the sound of a tree falling gave way to cracking bone. After a minute Angel stood up. As before only a thin layer of glittering dust lay over everything.   
"Where did it go?" Buffy asked dusting herself off and looking anywhere but at Angel.   
"They disappear when you kill them." Angel answered. He headed back to the horses. And it was silent again. To each his own thoughts. And indeed Angel had thoughts. That moment when he had touched her, when he had shoved her to the ground he had a vision. Not the mind splitting ones like Cordelia but rather one of a past very long ago. A him and a her of Royal Decent. She looked like Buffy and He looked like Angel. And they were to be wed. Angel knew that his previous life was being revealed to him. But for what purpose? 


	7. Chapter 6

  
Chapter 6  
  
"Let's get going back. We've been out here awhile." Cordelia spoke up. She rubbed her arms. It was getting cold and the fog was creeping up on them.   
"I don't have much more to gather. There I see it up ahead." Anya said. They moved up the road a little more. Cordelia was getting uncomfortable. They had strayed to far already.   
"I'm going back." Cordelia announced. She headed back the way she came.   
"Fine go ahead." Xander sneered.  
"Wait up." Oz caught up to her. "Have you noticed how divided everything is now? Like LA vs Sunnydale."  
"I know. I didn't mean to be like that to Xander. I guess we've all been apart so long we've created all new lives for ourselves that we don't fit together as well."  
"Wow. Impressive." Oz whistled.   
"These plants are starting to reek. What, have we been out here like 3 hours already?"   
"I don't think we should get to far away from them. We don't know what's out here. Let's just wait."  
"I thought we didn't want to be near them?" Cordelia stomped her foot.  
"I just wanted to cool it off for a minute. I don't think it's smart to separate."  
"Fine." Cordelia gave in. They stood around for about 10 minutes. "Let's go back. It's been to long." She went back down the road to find Xander and Anya. But they weren't where she left them. "Xander? Stop hiding. I'm cold let's go!" She called.   
"Yo guys. Don't joke!" Oz yelled. Their voices echoed across the field.   
"I don't think they are here." Cordelia said, a little unnerved.   
"Look." Oz pointed at a small bit of glowing light. It flew through the air towards them. Cordelia dropped the herbs and gripped Oz's arm.   
"Your friends they have strayed, a fairy land trade, unassuming fools, don't obey the rules, and now they are in trouble." the fairy taunted Cordelia and Oz.  
"That's it you damn fairy. Give me back my friends." Cordelia growled. She rolled up her sleeves and stood, legs parted.   
"Not a good idea Cordy. Let's go back and tell Giles. He'll know what to do."  
"You know how dumb Xander is. He'll be a goner in a second."  
"You don't give him enough credit. He's made it this far. Let's go. Anya will be with him remember." Oz picked up Cordelia's lost herbs and began heading back towards the castle at a fast pace. She glared at the laughing fairy and followed.   
"This isn't over." Cordelia warned the fairy.   
Meanwhile...  
"Xander?" Anya called as she fell.  
"Alice this rabbit hole is to big." Xander called back sarcastically. He bounced against a wall and fell some more.   
"Try to grab me Xander. We shouldn't get separated." Anya called they sought each other out, their arms out precariously, with a chance of them breaking at the roll they were going at.   
"Grab you? How do I know that's a good idea? It was your idea to stray and then your idea to pick something off this tree. All that damn fairy had to do was push!"   
"Well I'm scared so take my hand." Xander pulled his hand away from the dirt walls and grabbed out. He managed to grab Anya's shirt and moved to her hand from there.  
"I'm not that eager to get where we are going." Xander murmured.   
"Neither am I."  
"I just thought of something." Xander paused and in that pause they stopped rolling quite so hard and bumped along. They were almost to the end of the tunnel.   
"What?" Anya looked at him scared.  
"Everyone is trying to close the gateway. What if they close it while we are down here?" They hit the bottom of the tunnel and fell out into a meadow that looked very much like the one they had left.   
Back at the Castle...  
"Help! Help!" Cordelia and Oz raced into the castle. She was screaming at the top of her lungs.   
"What is it girl?" A druid asked sharply.   
"Xander and Anya strayed to far! They fell into the Gateway. We told them not to go so far."   
"Oh dear. This is a disaster. "The druid moaned rushing to tell his friends.   
"No yelling or nothing?" Cordelia looked down the hallway that the druid ran down.   
"Hey guys." Oz and Cordelia turned around to see Buffy and Angel dragging themselves inside, covered in twigs and dirt and dragon blood.   
"Hey Oz." Buffy smiled in spite of her appearance. "Hey Cordy."  
"You both look terrible. Did you get them?" she commented.  
"Yeah. We slew some dragons."  
"Did you want to tell them Cordelia or were we not gonna?" Oz spoke up.  
"What is it Oz?" They both became alert.  
"Oh just that Xander and Anya strayed to far from the castle and were sucked into the Fairy world and in my opinion could very well be stuck there with those feather brain druids running around." She said in one breath.   
"That's really going to make it difficult to close the gateway." Angel said sadly.   
"Warriors!" A druid scuttled in. "Please tell us you have at least killed some dragons?"  
"Yeah. We slew 2 dragons. It was a hell of a lot of work." Buffy grumbled.   
"Oh dear. I knew it would be. There are more out there. We can't seem to stop it. Your Mr Giles has consulted the books. He said something about the 5th son of the fairy king finding a phoenix and using its feathers to pry open the doors. He has caught a unicorn and by using its blood he can keep the gates open. Such crime to kill a unicorn. The Willow girl thinks she knows how to close the doors." Angel looked at Buffy and the babbling druid.   
"You need to chill out man. Why don't you go take a nap or something?" Oz advised.   
"There is no time!" The man shrieked.   
"Let's go find Willow. If there's a way to counteract that dumb power hungry fairy's spell she might know it." Buffy whispered to Angel. He nodded and waited till she went first. He was afraid to touch her. He wondered if it would dredge up those weird past life memories.   
They found Willow in a room that was every witches dream. It was stocked with everything for any spell you might possibly have to do, except the one that would close the gateway.   
"I just don't know Buffy. There's no spell strong enough to counteract blood of a unicorn. It is so rare and so coveted." Willow said as she fiddled with a potion. "The best we can hope for is a temporary one. That would buy us time. At any rate the binding spells aren't very effective."  
"Willow." Buffy stopped her. "Xander and Anya fell through the gateway." Willow stopped stirring her potion. Her face went white.  
"How do we get them out? There has to be away."  
"Someone might have to go in after them." A druid came over. "We shouldn't have let the mortals come. They are more trouble than they are worth."  
"Hey. They've saved this planet hundreds of times over. They are very good at this. They just helped a little to much." Cordelia marched in, coming to the defense of the people she had ragging on not a half an hour before.   
"I could go if you needed me too." Oz spoke up. "Maybe you could like tie a rope and hold it on the other end. So you can like pull us all back out or something."  
"Oh Oz." Willow sighed. Her eyes lit up. "It's so good to see."  
"Well we will keep it in mind. I think you should get back to the potion young lady. "The stuffy druid said.   
"I've missed you too Willow." Xander's words were called back to mind. In a way he wanted to win her back. But then it might be better to leave it the way it was.   
"You guys should go. I need to get back to work." She said gently. They wandered out of the room.   
"I'm going to go upstairs to change." Angel said disappearing up a staircase.   
"I'm rather gross too." Buffy said going up an opposite way.   
"I have never seen 2 people with more sexual tension than them and probably never will." Cordelia observed.   
  



	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
"I hate this place. It really sucks. I want to go back to Sunnydale." Xander sang to himself as Anya and him wandered around Fairy land. It was daylight there and Xander guessed that the times were not parallel. "It's so unfair that we couldn't go back the way we came."  
"Now let's go over this again." Anya shushed him.   
"Again?"  
"Yes. Now if you see a fairy what will you say?"  
"To this fairy here today, you can't touch me just go away." Xander said in a bored. "Now that will really make him go away?" Anya nodded.  
"Next one."  
"Not elves nor leprechauns can touch this human here, you can't come closer, you can't come near." Xander finished the little rhyme and thought for a moment. "What about big things? Like dragons and those centaurs."  
"Well you'll just have to kill them or be killed." Anya shrugged.   
"Gee this looks promising. I'm not gonna survive." Xander said pessimistically. "I think my pathetic existence is going to end soon."   
"Would you shut up Xander. You talk to much entirely for a straight boy. You also are way to dramatic."  
"Did you just question my sexuality because of my verbose mouth?" Xander growled.   
"Not at all. You are very manly." Anya rolled her eyes. "We should be more observant. Anything could sneak up on us." She looked around.   
"Oh! A girly!" from trees came a small thing half covered in fur. It ran straight at Anya.  
"Ew! Go away." She batted at it. It humped her leg.  
"I guess we didn't prepare for satyrs." Xander snickered.  
"Damn you furry, horny thing, go away, take lift take wing." Anya dismissed the satyr. When she finished her rhyme it immediately headed away. "Don't even say it Xander." Anya frowned.   
"What?" Xander held back his laughter.   
"You better be glad I taught you that rhyme to keep nymphs away. Some of those nymphs will eat you and you won't know it because you will be so physically attracted to her you won't know any better." Anya threatened.  
"Oh I'm so scared." Xander laughed. Suddenly from nowhere he began to change colors.  
"Great. You angered some fairy creature of some sort." Anya shook her head. Xander kept going through colors. He began to grow.   
"Save me." he yelled. Finally his color settled on gray.  
"Well, I didn't know they knew what elephants are."  
"We do now!" Giggled an elf. Anya turned around to face it. "Thanks to our fairy prince's genius and you 2 dumb humans." It cackled.  
"Haha funny. Turn him back please." Anya crossed her arms.   
"Nope." The elf shook his head.  
"Fine. You've forced me to do this." Anya snatched up a piece of grass and grabbed the elf's arm. "Look here you creature, gray is not an innocent's feature, in response to your games, may you be forced to play elephant's games." Anya touched the grass to the elf using it as wand. "Taste of your own medicine. "Soon there was 2 elephants wandering around.  
"I really don't like it here." Xander the elephant commented. It came out like half words and half trumpeting.   
"I hear ya." Anya looked around for moment. "Kneel down so I can ride you."  
"Ride me? Oh all right." Xander leaned down and Anya climbed on his back. They continued down the road in search of a way to get home.   



	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Angel toweled the last bit of wet from his body. The dragon blood had really made him itchy. Probably had magical properties he didn't want to think about. He went into his and Oz's room and found his other set of clothing waiting. It was laid out neatly on the bed.   
While in the old fashioned bathtub Angel had been thinking. How Buffy fit into his life after all the years had passed. And then the images that popped up. He had, had 2 already. The glimpses of a life so long past it was buried deep in his subconscious. He wondered why he didn't have them before. When he lived in Ireland. But then again he didn't know Buffy then. He decided as he pulled on his dark sweater and jeans that he would go get a book and research with Giles.   
He headed down the hall and back down the stairs. He wandered the main floor until he found the library. Giles was still hard at work. "Hey Giles. How are you?" Angel sat down next to him. Giles looked at Angel for a minute.   
"I'm fine Angel. If I could just figure this all out."  
"I need your help" Angel paused having got Giles complete attention. "Since I've been here I've been having visions...of the past."  
"Really?" Giles rubbed his glasses. "What do they entail?"  
"Me and Buffy... in our past lives. Here."  
"Extraordinary." Angel nodded. "And you want to research them?"  
"You got it. I think they might help. My gut instinct tells me that the visions are explaining something. But I'd like to avoid what causes the visions."  
"And that is?" Giles asked already opening a book.  
"Touching Buffy."  
"Oh I see. Yes that is a problem. Maybe you won't have to be in contact with Buffy. Can you describe these visions?" Giles picked up a pen, ready to listen.   
"Well..."  
Meanwhile...  
"Have you gotten any results yet?" Buffy asked quietly slipping into the spell room.  
"No. And the retracting spell to bring back Xander and Anya didn't work either. We just don't have the right things." Willow said, defeated. "I'm worried. I think they might actually send Oz in for them."   
"We all do what we have to do." Buffy comforted her. "You're not thinking about Oz that way again...are you?" Willow shrugged.  
"I never lost that feeling." Willow shrugged. "What about you seeing Angel. Was it a major wiggins?"  
"Creeps? No. It was weird. And sort of wonderful." Buffy confessed.  
"Wonderful?" Willow said loudly.  
"Yeah. Like when we touched I felt something. Magic. Like it had never left us." She began shaking her head. "I can't ever go down that road again. We just have to save the world and get back to Sunnydale."  
"You shouldn't bottle your pain up like that Buffy." Willow put out a fire. "I'm tired. Let's go to bed." And so they headed upstairs. Everything was quiet for the time being, maybe because Xander wasn't there. But it was odd that no one was rushing around looking for him like they would usually be.  
Back at the Library...  
"I think I found it." Giles spoke up excited, as he cut the silence with his hopeful voice.  
"Yes?" Angel looked up from his book. A druid looked on from the other end of the room.   
"Hold on." Giles continued his reading. His face fell.  
"I'm afraid we can not get the information we need in books. I have established that the period was 1640's but there was a great fire here and most records were lost. It is said the reigning King and Queen were lost in the mysterious fire. No one knows what happened to them...some speculated the gateway opened then..." Giles looked at the Druid.  
"Yes. The fire of 1647. All our brothers died. They were helping the king and Queen escape. That is all we know. As far as the gateway being opened I don't think it is true. There was no brothers there to close it. How could it have been closed if it was opened?" The druid said practically.   
"That's what I'm here for. To question the unthinkable and find the truth." Giles said determined.   
"I thought that was what Mulder was for?" Angel joked. Giles gave him a sharp look and he closed his mouth.  
"Maybe you should go help your brothers find our lost friends? Leave me to my work?" Giles advised the druid.  
"Yes. The missing humans." The druid said tiredly. "Please hurry Mr Giles. If we do not close the gateway the earth will be in more shambles than it is already." Angel opened his mouth to ask but Giles shook his head.   
"We don't want to know. Let's get back to exploring our options..." 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9   
  
"Look food!" Xander trumpeted and charged towards a tree. Anya yanked on his ears and he trumpeted again. "What was that for?"   
  
"You can't eat anything here Xander. The food could very well be enchanted.   
  
"I don't care! I'm starved. You don't have the metabolism of an elephant. I do." Xander thumped over to the patch and used his trunk to get the grass and tree leaves. "Wow. This is like having an extra long penis on your face." He observed.   
  
"I can't believe you just said that. That is so disgusting!" Anya shrieked. She pounded on his back with all her might but that didn't hurt the large elephant.   
  
"Who goes there!" Anya jerked her head up and stopped her beating. "This is the fairy princess."   
  
"Let me handle this." Anya whispered, sliding off Xander. "Hi. I'm the nymph Anya."   
  
"I haven't heard of you. What are you wearing?" the fairy flew close to Anya. She seemed bigger in her own land.   
  
"I have been around and to the other realm. Why haven't you left?"   
  
"Are you dumb? Everyone and my brother can leave. But not the family. We are stuck here. It's not fair. He was bad from the beginning. I hate my brother!" She stomped the air.   
  
"So you are not plotting against humans?" Anya was awed. Here she thought the fairy world was against her.   
  
"Are you feeling ok? We would cause mischief if we could but we can't. It's not fair."   
  
"Maybe I can help. I met some humans when I left. What if we helped you get everyone back and then close the doorway. You could punish everyone that left except me. That way you won't feel so bad." Anya said thinking on the spot. Xander backed into her to show his anger but dared not speak. She shoved him back.   
  
"That sounds ok. But what would you know about closing the gateway? We don't even know how to close it or we would have already." The fairy looked at her suspiciously.   
  
"Remember you have never heard of me? Maybe I know things you don't." Anya said not as confidently as she hoped.   
  
"Fine. Come with me to the castle." The fairy darted off ahead of them.   
  
"That was great Anya. Now we will no doubt be stuck here and if not that than die here."   
  
"Shut up Xander ok? I'm doing the best I can. Which is more than I can say for you. Did you notice that you have turned red from the food?"   
  
"What?" Xander held up his trunk to examine it. "This is all your fault for collecting those herbs. I am breaking up with you as soon as we are back in the real world."   
  
"Are you and your red elephant coming?" The fairy called. Anya raced ahead and tried to act as nymphy as possible. 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10   
  
A dragon circled the castle. It smelled sweet pure magic inside. It wanted to eat whatever was making it very badly. There were also smells of bad creatures. The good smells were more abundant than the bad ones. It swooped in lower. It would wait until day to strike. When the bad could not reach him. He sensed that the bad would not come see the day.   
  
Inside the castle...   
  
"Buffy?" Angel knocked on the door. Buffy came and opened for him. She was wearing a very sensual nightgown that he thought, maybe was for him.   
  
"Yes?" She rubbed her eyes.   
  
"I've got to talk to you." She stepped outside so they wouldn't wake up Willow. "I've been having visions. They could be the key to stopping all of this." He paused as he gazed into her eyes. "They are of my past life...and yours."   
  
"I've lived before?" She gasped grabbing at her chest. As if to prove she was the Buffy here and now.   
  
"Yes. We were...we were king and queen together. But Buffy they only way to get more information is...for me to touch you." She looked at him. "Like when I sheltered you from the dragon." She nodded.   
  
"Of course. To save the world. But Angel be gentle. It's hard to bear your touch. After all these years it still burns with the passion we once shared." So that was what made her feel wonderful! Maybe he was her soulmate? The thought was to wonderful to believe. The looked at each other for a moment.   
  
'Should I tell her what happened to us? How we were lost in a fire? Will she feel the visions with me this time? Now that she knows. Now that we will officially make contact?" these thoughts ran through Angel's head as they entered the room and sat down on the bed. He glanced over at Willow. She was sound asleep. Buffy sat down close to him. He could feel their auras mixing, giving him that feeling of being complete that he had missed for so long.   
  
Gently he reached out his hand and she took a hold of it. He was blasted to anther place and time...   
  
"Elizabeth this way." Patrick called. The woman looked back into the room as the flames crept down the walls. Hideous fairy laughter was heard. The blond woman struggled with her long dress as she took his hand. They tumbled down the stairwell together and raced through the castle. Flames were singing their hair and catching their clothing but they outran it with all their might. Panicked druids raced around them, battling elves and other creatures. Dragons circled overheard, diving down randomly and snatching up people regardless if they were faerie or other.   
  
"I can't go much faster." Elizabeth panted. Patrick raced back and picked her up. Though he was exhausted the will to survive and the will to keep his love alive compelled him across the castle grounds. He entered the stable and looked around for the unicorn.   
  
"Love you have to get her." Traditionally unicorns are only to be dealt with by females. Elizabeth slide down his chest and moved towards the unicorn. She tripped slightly on the hem and finally ripped it off. The unicorn whinnied and nervously bucked.   
  
"It's ok magical creature." The woman said in her calm voice. It was the voice she used to quiet the riot of her people when they were angry or upset. "We will not harm you. We need your power though." the unicorn let her lead it outside. Patrick followed at a distance as he made sure nothing harmed her. They headed up a small path to the woods. Once there they saw the tree. More fairies were spilling out. The king and Queen plus the unicorn stationed themselves near the gateway. When the fairies saw what was happening they tried to curse the humans but it had no effect. Then they began ripping at the humans and pulling out their hair but the humans ignored them.   
  
"Blood of the blood that opened the door, take back your creatures, let go no more. Spells upon spell that these people did do, take it all back as if time flew. I am the fifth daughter and he the fifth son, now it is time for our battle to be won. Seal up this door, nothing ever nevermore!" Elizabeth shouted. A tremendous quake shook the ground they stood on. She took a step towards Patrick and he towards her. The unicorn cried as its horn began to glow brightly. Almost blindingly. Their hands grasped one another. The light stretched through the land claiming all the creatures that had escaped. They melted into the glow and it began retreating. Elizabeth and Patrick kept their eyes shut as the glow came. The unicorn went along with it. Patrick and Elizabeth stood there looking.   
  
"Let us go." Patrick turned.   
  
"Where do we go from here?" Elizabeth asked.   
  
"There's a whole world. We have no kingdom anymore." They climbed a hill and looked over their domain. They had won the battle but everything was in shambles.   
  
"Angel?" The voice stopped the pain that rocked Angel's world. "We have to save the world." He opened his eyes. He knew that the night was over and it was partway through the day but it seemed the vision had just ended.   
  
"Elizabeth?" He murmured. She smiled.   
  
"Now how do we find our unicorn?" They exited the room and hurried to find Giles. The whole castle was grim.   
  
"As we speak, another 5000 people are dying. Everything is a wreck. And brother Andros was carried away by a dragon this morning."   
  
"I know how to stop it." Angel interrupted.   
  
"We know how to stop it." Buffy interjected. They faintly smiled at each other. "We have to get a unicorn. It is the only way. We had a vision. We know the spell to stop it."   
  
"But Buffy we aren't the fifth son and fifth daughter." Angel whispered to her.   
  
"Well we don't know that. All we know is that it is our duty. Let the spell take care of itself. Do you think there might be any unicorns loose?"   
  
"Oh! I think I know a way of finding one!" Willow perked up. They followed her out with a bunch of the druids hovering around them.   
  
"I guess I have to go save Xander and Anya. Don't anyone try to stop me." Oz announced.   
  
"We shall prepare the magic rope." A druid said simply. 


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11   
  
"Hello your majesties. I am the nymph Anya. This is my elephant Xander. He is an amusing human animal. I have been to the other realm. But I am very sorry for it. Considering your majesties don't have the privilege to go. I was brought here by your daughter so that I may be able to help and that we will not be punished like the others who left when you could not." Anya extremely hated being such a kiss ass but if they were going to survive they had too.   
  
"We are listening." The queen smiled. The smile made her uncomfortable. She wondered if they could sense all her lies.   
  
"Well that's mostly it. I thought maybe we could figure out a way to close the door and you could wreck your revenge."   
  
"I thought you knew?" The fairy girl pouted.   
  
"I never said I knew. I said I could help. Your princessness."   
  
"Fine. Go to the kitchen. You have 2 hours." Anya and Xander were led out of the throne rom. The castle seemed very small but yet Xander the red elephant fit through all the doors fine. He hadn't said a word since the forest. Anya knew he was furious.   
  
"Hey look. Maybe we could make magic glue." Anya examined some materials in the kitchen. Her heard wasn't in it.   
  
Elsewhere in the forest...   
  
Oz walked casually though the fairy realm. He almost felt at home. The wolf inside him hummed with delight at the world. Oz wondered if werewolves had originated there. He guessed he wouldn't have much trouble considering that so he concentrated on the scents of his friends. The rope stretched and stretched as he walked. It was a very good magic rope. He must have looked very strange to those around him By and by he noticed Xander's scent wasn't the same as usual. It made Oz worry.   
  
He had just happened to look at a tree when a little squirrel popped out. "May I be of service?" It chittered.   
  
"Maybe." Oz looked at it wearily, judging it. "I'm looking for my friends. A girl with reddish hair and a guy with black hair?"   
  
"I saw a human girl yes! But she had an large funny creature with her."   
  
"Did it look like he could have been human at one point?" Oz groaned to himself.   
  
"Could have been. It talked." Oz nodded.   
  
"Do you happen to know where they went?"   
  
"To the castle. The castle wolfy one!" The squirrel said excited. It hopped around on the branch. The fairy princess has taken them.   
  
"Thanks. Got to go. "Oz took off at a jog. He wanted to hurry. Who knew what the fairies might do to his friends?   
  
Back at the castle...   
  
"Your hours are almost up." The princess stalked into the room even though she was tiny. "What have you come up with?"   
  
"We managed to bake a cake and come up with a spell for bringing people back. But we don't know how to close the gate. I think the spell will help you though." Anya offered. "Please don't kill us. We did the best we could." The elephant trumpeted in agreement.   
  
"Bring what you made and come with me. Humans." She grinned evilly at them. Anya opened her mouth to respond but Xander grabbed her lips with his trunk and she lost her thought when she became busy getting the germs off.   
  
"Anya." Anya looked around. In a dark corner she saw a vaguely familiar figure. The voice was more familiar. "Let's get out of here." Anya looked at the fairy who was flying further quickly. She signaled to Xander and he began waddling towards them. They ducked down Oz's hallway. It was almost to easy as they left the castle. All they had to do was follow Oz's rope. Anya didn't have the heart to tell him the way in was not the way out. 


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12   
  
Buffy the vampire slayer/ unicorn hunter was on a mission. Find a unicorn or die. Neither option was very nice. All she could picture in her mind was the unicorn charging her and impaling her with its horn. Since her childhood she had a fear of horses. It came from being bucked off during a riding lesson. She had never quite recovered. But saving the world was more important than her uncomfortableness around horses and the like. Besides, she had every weapon she could think of that would help her capture the creature but not kill it. She tromped through the nearby woods. They were a wreck from all the creatures. But still she did not see many. Her Slayer powers frightened them? Perhaps. But maybe she didn't look close enough.   
  
Deeper and deeper into the undiscovered woods of Ireland she went. The day was getting on but still she walked. No unicorn to speak of. She wondered if it was hopeless. If there was a unicorn to find. But then, there in the thicket. A flash of white. Buffy stood very still. A head peeked out and took stock of her. Pure white with black eyes and a shiny gold horn that was reminiscent of a rhino's horn. Buffy reached for her rope but somehow it didn't seem right to capture the creature like that.   
  
"Please come here." Buffy beckoned the unicorn. "I won't hurt you. I promise." The head stretched further out and the creature took a step. "That's it." Buffy breathed. It took another step towards her. Buffy felt inclined to sit down so she did. The unicorn moved closer. She began to get nervous. The horn looked long and powerful. But the creature looked gently for the most part. It came close enough for her to touch it. She reached her hand up to touch it , she could feel the unicorn breathing as she rubbed its muzzle. It had the silkiest coat. The unicorn nuzzled her and she held her breath. "Will you come with me?" It nodded its head. Buffy slowly stood up. She began walking away. It followed. "Thank you. This means so much to me, and the world." She tentatively laid her hand on its back. They walked quickly. As fast as they could but they had a long walk ahead of them. It had taken her a few hours to find the unicorn. She only hoped it wasn't to late.   
  
And to late she might have been. Because while she was gone an army of fairy kind had attacked the druids just like back in 1647. The Slayerettes were battling the best way they knew but without Anya, Xander and Oz they had no chance, and Angel could not go outside until dusk. Save for Willow's talismans they were all but doomed.   
  
"Please. We have to hurry." Buffy gazed up at the sun setting through the trees. The unicorn bent down next to her. "I may ride you?" It nodded. Buffy trembled for a moment, her memories filling her mind. But they she swallowed and climbed aboard. They rode like the wind, the unicorn knowing where to go without Buffy saying a word.   
  
The castle was almost in reach. The night singing of the battle raging on around her. Buffy and the unicorn flew across the fields and over the paths. Sparks of magic flew up into the air like fireworks. She dreaded the results of all of it. 


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13   
  
"We're here." Oz pointed to a faint mist hovering in the air. "See the rope worked fine."   
  
"Stop them!" The trio whirled around. Well Xander slowly turned. The fairies were flying at them, wands at the ready.   
  
"Go." Oz pushed Anya. She smacked into the barrier and for a moment they froze. It looked like the end. But then she tumbled through and disappeared. Oz pushed at Xander who cried and trumpeted as he was squished against the barrier. Eventually he to got through. The fairies looked at Oz. He backed up to the barrier and pushed. The rope was being yanked and he felt like if it was yanked any more he would be cut into 2. Why wasn't it working? Well it was because a fairy was coming back through.   
  
"Look. It's our brother!" The bratty fairy princess yelled. The fairies gathered around the sorcerer family and forgot Oz in their attack of hatred. He pushed against the barrier and fell through.   
  
He met Xander and Anya on the other side. "I'm still an elephant?" Xander wailed.   
  
"Shut up and kneel." Anya helped oz climb on and they proceeded to barrel down the road towards the castle. Suddenly from the dark woods out charged a centaur right into Xander.   
  
"Stop you!" the centaur yelled angrily. He bent his head down with its little horns and prepared to charge at Xander. Oz and Anya held on for dear life as Xander reared and came down right on top of the centaur. They cringed at the horrible sounds made as the 2 ton elephant crushed the evil creature.   
  
"Let's keep going." Oz stammered. They kept going. They had a new found respect for Xander. Buffy was coming towards them from the other direction.   
  
"Oz! Anya...and Xander?"   
  
"Yes. We are back."   
  
"Good get to the castle. They need help. Everything is in shambles." Angel appeared from behind her and the unicorn. "We are going to stop this thing once and for all." Buffy and Angel and the unicorn passed the trio and went towards the gateway. The night was almost over. But she couldn't do it without Angel. They were the key.   
  
Back at the Castle...   
  
"Look! It's Oz and Anya and ...a red elephant?" Willow shouted to Cordelia over the din. She swiped her sword and the satyr in front of her giggled madly.   
  
"Good. Maybe Buffy and Angel will be able to close the portal now."   
  
"I hope." Willow sighed. If they didn't close it most of them wouldn't live to see morning. The only reason that she and Cordelia had survived so long was the fact that they had about 8 years experience facing the hellmouth and all the nasty demons that were attracted to it.   
  
"Do not mess with me! I am the Xander elephant!" Willow's draw dropped when the elephant reared with Anya and Oz on it and came down on top of ugly toll like thing. When he righted himself Oz and Anya dropped of and precariously made their way over to Willow and Cordelia.   
  
"We'll explain later. "Anya said picking up a dropped weapon. "Let's finish this."   
  
Back in the woods...   
  
"Are you ready?" Angel looked at Buffy. She nodded. The unicorn let her down. They walked closer to the glowing gateway. The unicorn whinnied but Buffy held on to its mane tightly.   
  
"I'm sorry my friend." She whispered. "You have to go back. It is a pity not all fairy creatures are as gentle as you.   
  
"Good luck." Angel stood back. Buffy positioned herself directly in front of the gateway. The glow reached out and tried to pull her in. She took a deep breath.   
  
"Blood of the blood that opened the door, take back your creatures, let go no more. Spells upon spell that these people did do, take it all back as if time flew. I am the fifth daughter and he the fifth son, now it is time for our battle to be won. Seal up this door, nothing ever nevermore!" Her voice rang out firm and clear to the night. The ground rumbled and quaked. The unicorn bucked and began hopping around. The glow pierced the night and began sucking back all the mystical creatures that had escaped.   
  
Buffy tried to back up, but the shaking earth made it difficult. The unicorn shot out of her grip. And then in her most triumphant hour the most tragic thing happened. It impaled Angel. He screamed. To Buffy it reminded her all to much of when she stabbed him with a sword and sent him to hell. The unicorn pulled away and was sucked into the gateway. The vortex stopped and all was quiet for a moment. Buffy stared at Angel and the gaping wound.   
  
Then the gaping wound glowed. It sparkled with magic. Like a laser it shot to the sky. Angel screamed again and from his back wings began to grow. Buffy could hardly believe her eyes. "Help me." Angel gasped. It wasn't real. None of it was real. The wings began to beat, making the wind rush up about them. Buffy gripped her hair back so she could watch.   
  
Then he rose. He looked at her wildly. "What's happening to me?" Angel shouted. Higher and higher his new wings took him. So high in the dawn sky. Buffy feared for a moment that the oncoming sun would burn him. But no. The strangest thing happened. The rays of light shot through the wings, just like the light through the wound. Feathers fell all around her. Soft glistening feathers.   
  
The raw wing bones, devoid of their feathers could not suspend Angel any longer. He plummeted. Buffy moved into action. She judged his fall and prepared to catch him. No matter what happened to her she wouldn't let him fall to his death. He fell smack dab into her arms and they both tumbled to the ground. No harsh crunching sounds were heard. Buffy dared to look at him. The wing bones fell off silently. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes bright.   
  
"Angel what happened to you?" Buffy gasped.   
  
"My shanshu. My reward."   
  
"What?"   
  
"I'm human. I'm free. For good. No Mohra demon. They promised me freedom!" He stood up painfully. The day smiled down at him. From the trees the birds began chirping. The waterfalls began flowing again. The world was anew. She helped him walk back along the road, joyfully relishing in his soft human flesh. They were the same age now. They were soul mates. All was going to be right in the world. 


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue   
  
"Buffy!" Willow shouted. "Angel? You didn't burn?"   
  
"He's human again." Buffy grinned and Let Angel sit down in the ravaged grass.   
  
"You shanshued! Good for you." Cordelia grinned. "Oh no! I'm out of my job!"   
  
"Why am I still an elephant? It's all over." Xander screamed. No sooner had he said it he began changing back.   
  
"Calm down Xander. It's ok." Anya rolled her eyes. "You were such a brave elephant." She brightened.   
  
"I was wasn't I."   
  
"I hate to interrupt all the joy and even more I hate telling you this but the world. It is completely destroyed. Like after WW1 and 2 put together. It will take a long time to make things right again." Giles said sadly.   
  
"Buffy?" Angel spoke up. She turned to him. He painfully got up on one knee. She didn't help him, he wouldn't have wanted it. "I have no ring for you. I can't promise you happiness in this discouraging world. All I have to offer you is my humanity and the love I have carried for you through all the battles I have ever fought. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"   
  
"Yes Angel." Buffy scooped him up. Her human fiance. Her Angel.   
  
"Just call me Patrick." He whispered into her ear. Her laughter rang like church bells. Behind them Oz embraced Willow and softly kissed her.   
  
Far from the group of tired and triumphant Scooby Gang members a world was picking up its pieces. Starting over with newfound respect for the unknown and a magic as old as the world. Yes it was a new day and a new beginning on a place that had lost its self respect many, many years before.   
  
THE END 


End file.
